The Tarifica Score™ was designed and created to answer a simple question: which mobile plans provide the best consumer value? This question may appear straightforward, however, answering it requires considering different types and volumes of included services, evaluating network speed and coverage and weighing all these factors against total plan costs.

The Tarifica Score answers this question through its proprietary formula which quantitatively determines all plans' consumer value. This tool can be used to:

Enable robust comparison of operators within and across countries - identifying brands that are providing top value to customers

Assist consumers in selecting the best value plans regardless of their budget

The Tarifica Score is a comprehensive algorithm that computes the aggregate value of every feature of a mobile plan (including usage allotments, geographic coverage, data speeds, value added features such as premium content or free roaming and promotional elements) and divides this by its total charges to calculate its unit cost. The result is a numeric measure of its consumer value relative to all other offers in the same country or region. Scores are scaled to range from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

Who can benefit from The Tarifica Score?

Mobile operators (MNOs and MVNOs)

Mobile service retailers

National telecommunications regulators

Consumer organizations

Device manufacturers

This formula was developed through a rigorous process which used offers from many operators in many countries to validate its global applicability. Service volumes (voice, data, text) are weighted based on interviews with regulators, operators and industry media and Tarifica's years of experience studying mobile plans and customer preferences. Consumer surveys were used to validate assumptions. Every month, Tarifica's analysts apply this formula to every mobile plan and promotion available in subscribers' countries, producing a ranking of plans by their consumer values. These rankings are delivered in two plan categories, "With Phone" and "SIM Only," which are each further subdivided into four to six price segments, depending on the market. Through this process, users can instantly identify both the "Top Value" plan in each price category and the operator which consistently provides the best value.

What benefit does The Tarifica Score provide?

Produces easy to understand, unambiguous numerical scores measuring customer value that can be used to differentiate and promote plans.

Keeps operators current with monthly updates - demonstrates the changes in plan values due to current promotions, discounts and deals that often drive customers to purchase new plans.

Identifies Top Value Plans overall in each market as well as in each price category, providing multiple opportunities for operators to promote their scores.

Enables customized plan development to achieve the highest scores at the lowest development cost.

Makes plan selection easier for customers while assuring them they are buying a high value plan.

Reduces outward churn, while enticing customers to leave other operators.

Increases sales in general and increases sales of longer contract, higher margin plans.

Provides market intelligence on competitive plans in terms of consumer value, not just price and service allotments.

Offers unbiased third party perspective and credibility.

Provides consumer groups and regulators with another means of measuring plan values and assessing their consumer friendliness.

When combined with the Tarifica Mobile Database customers can segment results by plan elements in order to correlate plan value with those parameters.

This leading edge market intelligence tool also includes a monthly report by country that details the driving factors behind each operator's scores as well as important market developments such as new plans, changes to restrictions, promotions, new value added elements, etc. that impacted each operator's scores during the month. This report provides two valuable services to clients:

Helps subscribers understand how and why all plans in the market scored as they did.

Provides information that can be quoted in press releases, media campaigns, marketing materials and advertisements in support of "Top Value Plan" claims.

At the end of each quarter, an expanded version of the report is published that analyzes the drivers of The Tarifica Score, as well as the evolution of the mobile market over the quarter. The report combines a review of the country-wide trends and plan specific analyses. It was designed, based on client feedback, to help contextualize the drivers of Tarifica Score results.

The Tarifica Score is incorporated into Tarifica's Mobile Database, whose subscribers include MNOs, MVNOs and regulators. It can also be purchased separately as a stand-alone service.

Listen to the Tarifica Score being discussed on Cape Town Radio in South Africa